Academic Regulations

Dean's List

Students in any Winter Session with a sessional average of at least 80% while taking 30 or more credits will receive the notation "Dean's List" on their record.

Degree with Distinction

A student will be granted a degree with distinction upon graduation if they achieve an overall average of at least 80% on all 200-level and higher courses while registered in the B.A.Sc. program.

Student Classification

The required courses and electives for the Winter Session are shown in the following sections. The normal completion time for the Bachelor of Applied Science is four to five years. Students may take higher loads than those shown below with the approval of the Associate Director, Undergraduate Studies.

Students with questions about credit load and eligibility for financial assistance, awards, and scholarships should check with Student Records and Financial Services.

Class Standing

Students are granted credits for all courses passed. Progression requirements to move through the year levels, or class standings, are governed by the earned credits as follows:

Examinations and Assessments

In any course that includes both lecture and laboratory work, students must complete the laboratory assignments with satisfactory standing before being admitted to the written examination of the course, and must pass in the material of both components before standing will be granted in the subject. The minimum passing mark in each course is 50%.

Term essays and examination papers may be refused a passing mark if they are noticeably deficient in English. 

Applications for special consideration for examinations missed due to a medical condition, emotional or other problems, or religious observance must be submitted to the Engineering Student Services office before or immediately after the missed examination(s). For more information, see Academic Concession.

Advancement

To pass the year, students must obtain an overall average of at least 55% in the Winter Session. In a failed year, students will be granted credit for all courses passed.

Concessions

Students who experience events or circumstances that interfere with their ability to accomplish academic work can request Academic Concession. 

Academic concessions must be requested in a timely manner and, if approved, will be scheduled at the discretion of the faculty.

Students who will miss an exam for reasons that qualify for Academic Concession can request academic concessions including: Late Withdrawal, to withdraw from the course with a W standing; Standing Deferred Exam, to write the exam at a later date; or an Out of Time Exam, to have the exam rescheduled at another time within the exam period.

Standing Deferred exams are typically offered with the next regularly scheduled final exam sitting for the course or during the next Standing Deferred exam period, whichever is sooner. Students are expected to make arrangements to attend. If a student fails to complete deferred requirements by the deadline for completing all Standing Deferred course work, the SD will be replaced with a grade or standing that reflects requirements completed in the course. 

Students unable to meet the deadline for completion of SD course work because of extenuating circumstances must contact Engineering Academic Services as soon as possible. Extensions will not be granted for deferred requirements, but alternative academic concessions may be considered if new or continuing circumstances prevent completion of the course.

Supplemental Examinations

There are no supplemental examinations for courses offered within the Faculty, with the exception of final year of study. Supplemental examinations may not be offered in all courses. At the discretion of the faculty, a supplemental exam may be granted to a student for a 300-level course, provided that the course is the last remaining course required for degree completion. Supplemental examinations are available only to students who have passed their year. Students must have failed a course but received a final grade of at least 40% in order to be eligible to write a supplemental examination in that course. Supplemental examinations are only offered during the deferred/supplemental examination period.

Academic Standing

Academic Standing will be determined by the student’s Sessional Average at the end of each Winter Session (Term 1 and Term 2).

Academic Standings are listed in the table below: 

One of three Academic Standings is assigned as a result of a Sessional Academic Evaluation: In Good Standing; On Academic Probation; or Failed, Required to Withdraw. All students are In Good Standing when first admitted to the faculty. A student who earns a Failed, Required to Withdraw standing may appeal to the School of Engineering Academic Standing Committee by a deadline to be Failed, Permitted to Continue. Upon a successful appeal, students may be permitted to continue on a reduced credit load. In a failed year, students will be granted credit for all courses passed.

Credit Restriction 

Students who earned a standing of On Academic Probation and students who are assigned Failed, Permitted to Continue may be restricted in the number of credits that they can take in the following academic year and will be required to meet with an Engineering Advisor regularly. 

Students who are On Academic Probation must achieve a sessional average of 60% or greater during their next registered Winter Session in order to return to In Good Standing.

Readmission

Students who are Failed, Required to Withdraw must apply for Readmission in order to re-join the program. Readmission is not guaranteed. 

Readmission decisions take into account the amount of space available, the size and strength of the applicant pool in a given year, and the quality of the application for readmission that has been submitted. All students seeking to return after earning a Failed, Required to Withdraw standing must submit an application for readmission by the stated deadline. The earliest a student may be readmitted is one full year (12 months) following the requirement to withdraw.

Requirements for readmission will depend on individual circumstances. Additional information regarding applying for readmission can be found under Readmission. 

Students in year one seeking to return after earning a Failed, Required to Withdraw in the Engineering program will be considered for readmission based on a combination of:

• A letter of appeal outlining how the student has prepared to succeed in further studies at UBC; and 
• Performance in transferrable credits from another recognized post-secondary institution¹ 
• Reference letters pertaining to the student’s academic readiness and/or work experience. 

¹Students may retake first year courses outside of UBC and rejoin as a second-year via Engineering Transfer Programs.

Students in year two or higher seeking to return after earning a Failed, Required to Withdraw in the Engineering program will be considered for readmission based on a combination of:

• A letter of appeal outlining how the student has prepared to succeed in further studies at UBC; and 
• Further academics in a related field at another post-secondary institution and/or work experience related to their field of study; and
• Reference letters pertaining to the student’s academic readiness and/or work experience.

Students should meet with an Engineering Advisor at the School of Engineering to develop a plan for applying for readmission.

Students who are readmitted will be required to enroll in a reduced credit load and meet with an Engineering Advisor regularly.

Appeals

Current students may appeal standing decisions to the School of Engineering Academic Standing Committee.

Field Trips

Students who are required to participate in field trips will be responsible for expenses incurred during such trips.